thompson



Feb 14, 1956 H. D. THOMPSON FORMING APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29. 1952 Hora/a D. Thompson INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 14, 1956 H. D. THOMPSON 2,734,250

FORMING APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {M Hare/a 1] Thompson IN V EN TOR.

ATT RNEYS United States Patent Office 2,734,250 Patented Feb. 14,1956

FORMING APPARATUS FGR CONCRETE AND THE LIKE Application-January 29, 1952, Serial No. 268,852

17 Claims. .(Cl. .25-13-1.5)

This invention relates to a forming-apparatus for concrete and the like and particularly to .such an apparatus which is adapted 'to be used in :casting intersecting crossbeams-integrallywith-a slab section.

In the construction of buildings and in other instances, it is oftendesirable to cast a slab .of concrete -or:the like so that the slab includes integral crisscross reinforcing beams. In such a slab, one set of beams extend .parallel .to each other 'in one direction :across the slab and :another set of parallel beams is disposed angularly .to .and intersects with the first set to give the slab a waflle-like appearance. While it is possible to construct a .form for such type of slab by conventional methods employing wooden forms nailed together to give the desired configuration, such type of forming is quite expensive to erect and if not accuratelyerected, can result in imperfections and irregularities in the slab. Also, the problem of removing such forming material from .the slab .after the latter has been cast and set presents itself. Such removal is especially difiicult because raised portions of .the forms actually extend into the slab with the slab .beams extending along the sides of such raised portions. The contact of the-slab beams with the sides of these raised portions of the forms has heretofore necessitated either complete dismantling of the forms to remove .them :or the use of considerable force .to .pry .them .loose. The latter has not always been possible .due to wedging of tthejormsin-the slab. j

It -is an object o'f this invention .to ..pr.ovide ,a forming apparatus for concrete and the like which is particularly adapted to be used in casting .slabs .of the ype abovedescribed-and which can be,positioned for castingsuchslabs simply by arranginga plurality .of forming .units .in sidebysside relationship.

.Another object .of .this :invention is to provide a form- .ing :apparatus which is .not only easily set up for casting .a slab -of the type described but which .is particularly adapted for easy removal .from .the slab after the latter has been cast and set. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide a form- 'ing unit soconstructedand arranged that a plurality of such units .can be quickly and easily assembled to permit casting-of a slab of concrete and thelike,'the slabhaving "intersecting cross'beams integrally cast therewith, said forming unithaving a removable section in its sidewalls which, upon removal, permits all of the side wallsto be pulledinwardly of the forming-unitto thereby'facilitate freeingthe'unit from the-slab.

Anothercbject of :thisinvention is:to provide a'form which is particularly adapted to form a' slab section .of concrete :and the like so .as :to have intersecting crossit beams: castinte grall-y therewith.

Another object of thisrinvention is to provide a form forconcrete and the like which is in the forrn of ,an inverted pan whose side has .a removable section which ,permitsthe .sidescf the form .to be movedinwardlytherebygreatly facilitating .removalof the form from the mater'ial cast on it.

Another object of this invention is to provide a form for casting concrete and the like, the form being in the general shape of an inverted pan and provided with removable corner sections and cutaway portions extending into the top of the pan so that when the corner sections are removed and the sides of the pan flexed inwardly, the top of the pan adjacent its joinder with the sides thereof will be flexed away and freed from the material cast on it.

Other objects, advantages .and features ,of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon -a consideration of the written specification, the attached claims and the appended drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a plurality of the forming units of this invention arranged for casting a slab thereover in such a manner that the slab will have integral intersecting crossbeams;

Fig. 2 illustrates a forming unit turned upside down from its normal position of use to facilitate the illustration thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the removable corner sectionsshown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view in section taken parallel with one side of the forming unitand looking toward the inside surface of another side, the corner section being removed;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of one corner of a forming unit; and

Figs. 6 through 9 schematically illustrate how a forming unit is employed to cast a slab.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the several views to designate like parts.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5, whererin a forming unit and portions thereof are illustrated in an upside down position from their normal positions of use, the latter being illustrated in Pig. 1, there is provided a pan part comprising a top panel member 10 which, preferably,.is substantially rectangular and fiat although it can be of other configuration. Depending from the peripheral edges of the top panel are sidepanel members 11a, 11b, .llcand 11d. As illustrated in Fig. 2, these side panels are substantially straight and terminate short of an adjacent one of the side panels so that adjacent ends of the side panels are spaced apart. Thus, side panel has an end 12 which is spaced apart from end 13 of side panel 11a. The other adjacent ends of the side panels are spaced apart in a similar manner. These ends are preferably substantially normal to the top panel 10 so that a side panel can be flexed or pulled inwardly of the forming unit toward the top panel without striking adjacent side panels oncither end thereof. The side panels preferably slope outwardly of top panel 10 to facilitate removal .of the forming unit from the slab. When so sloped, ends 12 and .13of the side panels converge with respect to each other toward top panel 10.

Extending into top panel member it between adjacent ends 12 and 13 of each of the side panels are cutaway portions defined by edges 1 and 15. With such cutaway portions, it is possible to flex or pull one of the side panels inwardly toward the .top .panel to not only effectively loosen the side panel from its bond with a concrete slab but also to eifectively free the corner formed by the juncture of the side panel and the top panel from the concrete slab and to actually'flex the top panel ad- .jacent its periphery away from the concrete slab thereby greatly facilitating loosening of the forming unit from the slab. For example, when side panel .110 is flexed inwardly, the corner of the forming unit defined by the juncture of sidepanel 11c and top panel I will move about a bending line extending parallel to and spaced inwardly from side panel 110. When the side panel is flexed sufiiciently inward, this bending line will extend parallel along side member 11c from edge 15 to a corresponding edge of a cutaway portion in an adjacent corner of the forming unit at the other end of the side panel. Thus, there is provided a pan part which, when in operative position, is in the shape of an inverted pan having a plurality of straight sides and having sections removed at the corners which would be normally defined by the intersection of the straight sides. With such structure, it is not only possible to flex the sides of the pan inwardly toward the top thereof to free the sides from their bond with a concrete slab cast over a unit, but also to flex the top sufficiently to free a peripheral portion thereof from its bond with the concrete slab. With all sides of the form freed from bondage with the slab, it will be relatively easy to free the remainder of the top portion from its bond with the slab.

Removable sections are provided to fit between adjacent ends of the side panel members and to extend into the cutaway portions of the top panel member in such a manner as to complete the enclosure about the top panel member and to give the forming unit a substantially complete surface throughout over which the slab can be poured without leakage of any of the slab material into the forming unit. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, removable sections 16 are shaped as corners for the pan part and have an angular part 17 with lateral edges 18 adapted to snug up and abut with ends 12 and 13 of adjacent side panels to thereby form a substantially continual enclosure about top panel 10. Carried by part 17 is a lateral portion 19 adapted to flt into the cutaway portion defined by edges 14, and of top panel 10 to thereby complete the top panel. With this construction, it will be apparent that the corner sections can be removed from the remainder of the mold and yet when positioned in place, as illustrated in Fig. 1, com plete the outer surface of the forming unit.

Means are provided for maintaining the removable sections 16 in alignment with adjacent side panel members when the removable sections are positioned as illustrated in Fig. 1. This means comprises slide and guide parts carried by the removable sections and by the pan part and adapted to permit the removable section to be slid into and out of alignment with the adjacent side panels and to maintain the removable sections in alignment after they have been placed in operative position. The guide parts can comprise elongate clips 20 each fastened to a side panel and each having an off-set portion 26a which is spaced from the side panel carrying the clip. In this manner, the clip and side member form a groove 22 therebetween. The clips are so fashioned that the groove 22 is substantially parallel to and faces toward an adjacent side panel. This is best illustrated in Fig. 4.

The slide part carried by the corner member 16 can be provided by an anngular back-up piece 24 fastened to part 17 and having angularly extending portions adapted to slide within grooves 22 provided by clips 20 in a manner illustrated in Fig. 2. With such construction, the removable corner sections can be readily slid into and out of alignment with adjacent side panels by merely in serting slide part 24 into the grooves 22 and pushing the corner section into the position illustrated in Fig. 1. As illustrated in Fig. 2, it will be noted that outwardly sloping side panels whose ends converge inwardly toward top panel 10 will permit edges 18 of corner sections 16 to move away from ends 12 and 13 of the side panels as the corner sections are removed thereby greatly facilitating removal of the corner sections. The removable sections will be maintained in alignment with the side panels by the clips despite the heavy pressure exerted thereagainst by the material forming the slab cast over the forming unit.

An outwardly extending flange is provided around the sides of the forming unit to serve not only as a forming surface for the lower sides of the slab beams but also to provide a means for spacing and supporting a plurality of forming units in proper position for casting the slab.

Such flange is provided in part by outwardly extending flange parts 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d carried by side panels 11a through 11d, respectively. These side panel flange parts are of approximately the same length as the side panels and the remainder of the flange for the forming unit is provided by flange parts 26 carried by removable corner sections 16 and adapted to fit between the adjacent ends of flange parts 25a through 25d. To properly position removable sections 16 lengthwise within the forming unit, each carries a base plate 27 having peripheral portions 27a adapted to overlap a portion of the flange parts carried by adjacent side panels.

While the forming unit thus far described in detail is capable of successful use, several additional features have been added thereto to develop it to its fullest commercial utility. One such feature comprises spacers depending from the flange parts carried by the side panels and adapted to permit proper spacing of a plurality of forming units with a minimum of effort. Such spacers include angle pieces 30 extending along the outer edge of parallel flange parts 25a and 250. These angle pieces permit one forming unit to be placed in abutment with another so that an angle piece 30 of one unit touches an angle piece 30 of another unit thereby preventing the units from being spaced too close together and causing the beam cast therebetween to be too narrow. The angle pieces 30 also give longitudinal support to the outer edges of the flange parts 25a and 250 to prevent any sagging thereof under the load of the slab cast over them.

Spacers 31 are also provided to depend from flange parts 25b and 25d at a position parallel to the outer edge of the flange parts. These spacers are adapted to abut against the sides of support beams 31a and are spaced from the outer edges of flange parts 25b and 25d a distance such that the flange parts can extend over onehalf of the upper face of beams 31a. In this manner, overlapping of flange parts 25b and 25d on beams 31a is assured to provide adequate support for the forming units all along the flange parts. It will be noted that spacers 31 are formed of angular pieces which have one leg extending outwardly to the edge of flange parts 251; and 25:1. The endwise edges of this leg terminate short of the ends of the flange parts so as to be in abutment with adjacent edges of base plate 27.

Nail holes 32 can be provided through flange parts 25b and 25d and the outwardly extending legs of spacers 31 so that the forming units can be readily nailed to beams 31a.

The forming units or pans of this invention are susceptible of repeated use for casting many different slabs. In being transported from place to place, it is convenient to nest a group of units together in a stack. To provide support for a unit placed within another one, angle support pieces 33 are provided across each corner of the unit and are attached to top panel 10 on the inside of the unit. These support pieces prevent the nested units from becoming wedged together.

In use, the forming units are each assembled by sliding the corner sections 16 in place with slide parts 24 in grooves 22 and base plates 27 abutting the side panel flange parts. This assembly is illustrated schematically in Fig. 6. The units are then positioned in side-by-side relationship on beams 31a with angle piece 30 of one unit in abutment with a similar angle piece on an adjoining unit, the angle pieces being normal to beams 31a. Spacers 31 are posi tioned inside of and parallel to beams 31a and the units nailed in place. The slab can then be poured over the units as shown for a single unit in Fig. 7. After the slab has set sufiiciently, beams 31a can be removed and corner sections 16 pried loose and slid downwardly as in Fig. 8. The side panels can then be flexed inwardly as in Fig. 9 to loosen them from the slab. At the same time, the top panel is flexed away from the slab along a portion adjacent the side panels. The pan part can then be readily '5 removed from the slab by simply applying a downward force to it through one or more of the side panels.

Thus there has been provided a forming unit or pan of which a plurality are adapted to be employed to form a slab to have a plurality of integral intersecting crisscross beams, the units being easily, quickly and accurately positionable for casting such a slab. The units are also easily removable from the slab after the latter has set by merely removing corner sections from the forming pan which permits each side panel to be flexed inwardly to free such panels from their bond with the slab and, at the same time, to free a peripheral portion of the top panel from its bond with the slab. The units are rugged and simple to construct from sheet metal, the strength of the material being merely sufiicient to support the slab across the top panel, along with supports 33 which serve as strengthening members for the top panel, and yet light enough to permit flexing of the side panels and the peripheral portion of the top panel. The forming units form a much smoother surface on the slab than ordinary wooden forms and yet are much more easily removable than ordinary metal forms.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1s:

1. A forming apparatus for concrete and the like which comprises, in combination, an inverted pan having a top panel and side panels integral with and depending from the top panel, said side panels being spaced apart at adjacent ends thereof, and a section fitted between said adjacent ends to complete the side of the pan, said section being removable by movement in a direction away from said top panel.

2. A forming apparatus for concrete and the like which comprises, in combination, an inverted pan having a top panel and side panels integral with and depending from the edges of the top panel, said side panels being substantially straight and terminating short of intersection with each other so that adjacent ends of the side panels are spaced apart, and a section between said adjacent ends completing the enclosure about said top member, said section being removable by movement in a direction away from said top panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in combination with means maintaining said removable section in slidable alignment with adjacent side panels.

4. A forming apparatus for concrete and the like which comprises, in combination, a top panel, side panels integral with and depending from the periphery of said top panel, adjacent ends of said side panels being spaced apart, a removable section fitting between said adjacent ends to complete with said side panels the enclosure about said top panel, and mutually engaging slide and guide parts, one of said slide and guide parts fixed on said removable section and the other of said slide and guide parts fixed on said side panels for maintaining said removable section aligned with the side panels and disposed to permit said section to be moved in a direction away from the top panel without releasing either the slide or guide parts.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said top panel is substantially rectangular.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said side panels extend longitudinally substantially to the corners of said rectangular top panel and .said removable section is shaped as a corner littingbetween said side panels.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said side panels slope outwardly from said top panel.

8. A formingapparatus for concrete and the like which comprises, in combination, a pan part including a top panel, substantially longitudinally straight side panels depending from the edges of the top panel, the adjacent side panels terminating'short of intersection with each other so that the ends thereof are spaced apart, said top panel having a cutaway portion intermediate said spaced apart ends; and a section fitting between the spaced apart ends of said side panels and into the cutaway portion of said top panel to complete the enclosure about the top panel, said section being removable by movement in a direction away from the top panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in combination with mutually engageable slide and guide parts, one part carried by said removable section and the other part carried by the pan part and adapted to maintain said removable section in operative alignment with said side and top panels, said parts being disposed to permit said section to move in a direction away from the top panel.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said guide part comprises elongate clips carried by adjacent side panels, each elongate clip being laterally offset from the side panel carrying it to form a groove therewith parallel to the other of the adjacent side panels, and wherein said slide parts are carried by said removable section and are adapted to slide endwise in said groove.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said top panel is substantially rectangular and wherein a removable section is provided at each corner of the pan part.

12. A forming apparatus for concrete and the like which comprises, in combination, a pan part including a substantially rectangular top panel, straight side panels depending from the edges of said top panel, adjacent side panels terminating short of intersecting with each other at the corners of said top panel so that their ends are spaced apart, said top panel having a cut-out portion extending thereinto from between the spaced apart ends of said adjacent side panels; and corner sections fitting between said spaced apart ends of said side panels and extending into said cut-out portion of said top panel to complete the side and top of the forming apparatus, said sections being removable by movement in a direction away from the top panel.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in combination with mutually engaging slide and guide parts carried by said corner sections and said pan part to maintain the former in alignment with the latter, said parts permitting said corner sections to move in a direction away from said top panel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in combination with flange parts extending outwardly from said side panels and a corner flange part carried by each of said corner sections fitting between the flange parts carried by said side panels to thereby form a flange extending outwardly and completely around the pan part and corner sections.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 in combination with spacers depending from the side panel flange parts and spaced inwardly from the outer edges of the flange parts.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the side panels slope outwardly of the top panel and wherein said spaced apart ends converge toward the top panel.

17. A forming apparatus for concrete and the like which comprises, in combination, a pan part of flexible material including a top panel, substantially longitudinally straight side panels integral with and depending from the edges of the top panel, the adjacent side panels terminating short of the corners of the pan, whereby a downward force applied to a side panel will bend the top panel along a line spaced inwardly from the corner formed by the juncture of said side panel and top panel and loosen said last- 7 8 mentioned corner from concrete molded about the pan, 1 1,217,003 Janisch Feb. 20, 1917 and a corner section fitting between the spaced apart ends 1,612,704 Crozier Dec. 28, 1926 of said side panels to complete the enclosure about the 2,155,128 Gray Apr. 18, 1939 top panel, said section being removable by movement in a direction away from the top panel. FOREIGN PATENTS 358,265 Great Britain Oct. 8, 1931 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,030 Greene Mar. 27, 1888 10 

